The State government has released Western Australia's Safe Transition Plan to minimise the impact of the virus and keep Western Australians safe for the long-term.
The plan outlines safe conditions for interstate and international travel and provides certainty on how businesses and WA's way of life can continue safely with the introduction of baseline public health and social measures once COVID-19 enters WA's community.
With a 90 per cent double dose rate (12 years and older), expected in late January/early February, WA's controlled border will be eased to allow for international and interstate travel from all jurisdictions, with testing and vaccination requirements.
Interstate arrivals will be required to:
- be double dose vaccinated (for eligible people);
- return a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to departure; and
- undertake a test on arrival in WA (to be phased out, pending a review).
International arrivals will be required to:
- be double dose vaccinated (for eligible people);
- return a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to departure;
- undertake a test on arrival (to be phased out, pending a review); and
- complete 14 days quarantine in a designated facility (if high risk, e.g. unvaccinated).
Interim baseline public health and social measures will be applied to help manage the spread of COVID-19 in WA, pending up-to-date health advice, these include:
- face masks for some high risk indoor settings (e.g. public transport, hospitals and aged care facilities);
- proof of vaccination for large events (1,000+), nightclubs and the casino;
- contact registration (SafeWA) at all public venues;
- revised COVID Event and Safety Plans; and
- restricted entry to remote Aboriginal communities, where necessary.
These baseline measures may increase based on up-to-date health advice at the time.
WA's Safe Transition Plan's 90pc vaccination rate threshold is based on the latest health advice underpinned by WA Health modelling.
In a world-first, it is expected WA will ease border controls at a point where there is no community transmission.
Modelling is utilised to illustrate potential scenarios for WA, given there are limited real-life examples to draw from, because of WA's unique COVID-free position.
WA Health modelling illustrates a slower rise in cases at 90pc vaccination compared to an 80pc rate and based on a realistic level of tracing, testing, isolation and quarantine measures.
This means at a 90pc rate, with widespread community transmission, the expected maximum number of general bed hospitalisations on a single day is reduced to 54, compared to 178 general bed hospitalisations, on a comparable day, at an 80pc rate.
At a 90pc rate, general ward beds occupied are reduced by 70pc at wide spread transmission and ICU beds occupied are reduced by 75pc at the peak, while the cumulative number of deaths is reduced by 63pc.
"WA has done so well over the past 20 months and this has kept us safe and strong," said WA Premier Mark McGowan said on Friday morning.
"We've consistently followed the health advice and the success of this is because of all the efforts from Western Australians collectively.
"This plan sets out how WA will transition in a safe manner and provides a soft landing, with minimal impact on WA's unique way of life.
"WA's Safe Transition Plan gives certainty to Western Australians so they can make longer term plans and reduces the impact of COVID-19 on our health and economy.
"Transitioning with zero COVID in the community has never been done before and that's why our transition is unique and will require us to all work together.
"As I have said before, a specific date for further easing of border controls with higher risk jurisdictions will be set once more than 80pc of our eligible population, 12 years and older, has received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
"Right now, it's more crucial than ever to keep WA safe and we all have a personal responsibility to throw our efforts behind bolstering the uptake of COVID-19 vaccinations.
"Vaccination is the best way out of this once-in-a-one-hundred-year pandemic and sets us up for the long term. We need to do this to protect ourselves, our families, our community and what we've all worked so hard to maintain over the past two years."
Health Minister Roger Cook, said, "bread and butter COVID-19 public health systems such as testing, tracing, isolation and quarantine will be critical levers we need to utilise in the transition".
"These will complement our vaccination efforts and these along with our baseline public health and social measures such as face masks will be required for the interim as part of our transition.
"The modelling shows that easing border controls at an 80pc vaccination rate will result in 10 times more cases over a year than what a 90 per cent coverage will provide.
"At a vaccination rate of 90 per cent, there are dramatically fewer cases, hospitalisations and deaths.
"Nobody in WA should be dying from COVID-19 if this can be prevented.
"It's important to remember that modelling is not a forecast of the future and it looks at the first 12 months only.
"Modelling helps our safe transition out of the pandemic because there are limited real world examples to draw on, given our unique position with no community transmission."
